Monterey Park Seeks to Ensure Retail Balance

Bentz did say, however, that he has not seen an "outright, on-purpose . . . effort to keep Asians from locating in our city." He added: "If there was an element trying to do that, then that element has failed."

Gregory Tse, a former president of both the city's Chamber of Commerce and the local Rotary Club, said the law won't impede the success of the Asian developers and merchants who in recent years have settled in the city. "We aren't worried at all," he said. "We know what we're doing.

"The City Council, they want it to go back what the city was 20 years ago," Tse said. "That's impossible."

He said existing municipal laws already give city officials enough control over development.

No Legal Challenges

Scher said the city is sure that the proposed ordinance "will withstand any sort of constitutional challenge." She said she could find no legal challenges to such a law.

"It addresses some particular problems Monterey Park has, and I think it's going to be successful without putting a burden on developers," Scher said. "It may need some adjustments."

But she acknowledged: "There is a basic philosophical question . . . which is: How much governmental intrusion do you want?"